Spaghetti with Kale and Tomato Sauce

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Pasta, Vegetarian | 20 comments

Did any of you happen to have any extra pounds just jump on you over the holidays? I looked down and all the sudden my pants were tight. GAH! Tight pants are just not fun. I don’t care who tells you they are. They aren’t! So instead of crying over it I decided to do something about it. I started a little juicing thing. I know right who am I? So if I seem a little crabby you’ll know why ; ) I’m not doing a radical juicing (cause I would end up hurting someone without food food) I’m starting out slowly with one glass in the morning and one later in the day when I’m craving sweets. It’s giving me the extra veggies I need and keeping me full in between “chewing” meals.

The Art of Risotto: Artichoke Risotto

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Vegetarian | 11 comments

I am a sucker for risotto. Plain and simple I could eat the entire pot. Not a good idea but hey I just don’t think clearly when a bowl/plate is placed in front of me. When it comes to food, good food, I am weak. I admit it. Sometimes you just need to take the stairs instead of the elevator so you can enjoy a bowl of goodness from time to time.

How to Make Italian Hot Chocolate

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Drinks, Vegetarian | 34 comments

I am revisiting a post I did way back when I ehem was still knee deep learning about this crazy thing we call blogging . I’m calling a mulligan on this one. It’s perhaps my FAVORITE cold weather drink – Ciccolata Calda (aka Italian hot chocolate, the best hot chocolate in the world) and I think once you’ve tasted it, it will be your favorite too. If you’ve been making something from a packet (and it’s okay you just didn’t know any better – we’re here to help)  ditch it and make this instead. You’ll never look back. Guaranteed.

Steak with Shallot, Butter & Balsamic Sauce

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Beef, Main Course | 21 comments

Steak is sexy. Yes. It is. There’s nothing like a perfectly cooked piece of melt in your mouth steak. For me that means medium. Not too rare, definitely not too done. Nothing worse than a piece of overcooked meat. If I wanted beef jerky I would have gotten beef jerky (I happen to adore beef jerky just not when I’m craving a melt in your mouth steak). One of my goals for this year is to conquer my fear of the flame, aka grilling.

(Hold onto Your Nutella) Top 11 Posts from 2011

Posted by Paula in All Recipes | 14 comments

{Panzanella}

Happy New Year! Did you make any resolutions? Me, not so much. I’m not much of a resolution girl but I do like to set goals. It speaks to my competitive nature and helps me to stay focused and on track (at least that’s the plan) We have some REALLY big goals for this year (dream big or go home right) and we can’t wait to share them with you. First up, CHRISTY is working a brand new look for this little place we call home. It’s in the middle of a mid life crisis makeover and we’ll have some pretty swanky features coming up that we can’t wait to show YOU. In the meantime it’s only fitting we do a little reflecting back on what YOU fantabulous readers paid the most attention to in 2011!

Rossini – A Classic Cocktail

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Drinks | 11 comments

I adore Prosecco and think that bubbles shouldn’t just be reserved for special occasions. Besides sipping prosecco directly from my flute I also like to mix it up into cocktails. Besides the BELLINI one of my favorite bubbly based cocktails is the Rossini! It’s bright, festive and yes tickles your nose a little when you drink it.